"Now twist and slash your paws at me!" The mentor fiercely ordered her legs showing the trained muscles that pushed the new apprentice. The apprentice twisted and slashed her unsheathe paws and swiped at her mentor's right foot. The mentor lost her balance and the red she cat stopped her quick movements.

Fiddleheart shook off the new snow from her fur and leg out a cold burr. "You learn quickly Sunpaw. Your battle technique is sharp as any senior warrior."

The apprentice dipped her head. She was too old for a normal new apprentice but was proud to train to become a NoonClan warrior. "Thanks you Fiddleheart."

"So far, within just two battle training, you have mastered two of NoonClan's technique. After you have mastered them, I would be interested to be taught your technique. I have never seen such a way to fight before." Fiddleheart mewed while grooming her fur. The mentor and apprentice have a unusual relationship for their position. Sunpaw doesn't just see Fiddleheart as a mentor, but also a friend. Their ages are not too far either.

"I would be honored to."

The battle training ended as the two she cats rested in the camp clearing. Snow was not deep yet, but signs of leaf bare was approaching to all the clans. According to elders stories, snow was very rare to flutter here. Sunpaw was amazed to here that—she has seen much more snow before. And the white speckled of water also brought a bad memory she wished to forget.

"How was training Sunpaw?" A young warrior asked while carrying a half scrawny prey. The prey was getting thinner and plump rabbit was nowhere to be found. It brought signs that harsh hard leaf bare was coming but the new NoonClan cat knows she will survive with these cats.

"Good. And may I share that prey with you?" Sunpaw replied with a hungry purr.

"I was just about to say that." Drizzleheart meowed happily and settled next to Sunpaw. Their fur were not brushing and cold air split them apart. "Huddle closer, you don't want to catch white cough."

Drizzleheart let his fur brush Sunpaw's long fluffy fur. Why am I so nervous? Sunpaw wondered her cheeks hot. It was usual for cats to do that to break the cold but it gave her unease. Is it because it's a NoonClan Warrior? Or is it because—it's Drizzleheart?

The she cat took a small bite on the rabbit respecting the prey StarClan has blessed life into. Sunpaw loved the ways of an warrior, the warrior code. It was better than the Army that only the first commander rules with his three little pests.

"Burrrrr leaf-bare is coming isn't it?" The silver tom meowed puffing his fur. Sunpaw felt unease when some of his fur sunk deeper to hers. It felt weird but nice. A feeling she never had. Is it right to think she made a true friend?

"What is like in the clans in leaf-bare?" The newcomer asked curiously. She wanted to do everything she can for NoonClan. She wanted to prove herself.

There were some whispers that Sunpaw couldn't make out the words. But from the tone of their voice and their twitching ears, she could tell they weren't talking a good. And their glances at her was unpleasant.

"Well," Drizzleheart deeply wondered in his mind, "There will be less prey and the cold wind carries white cough. And the lack of prey can grow war for territory. We won't have full bellies and every cat must sacrifice a bite."

The apprentice was scared that war might come. Bloodshed. She wished she would never have to do that. The fight with the clans when she was blind by Lightpelt. It made Sunpaw's heart sunk dark to think she must use her skills to shed blood. Will I be able to control my power? It could sound like a brag, but Sunpaw has much power than possibly any cat in NoonClan. She has a knack on fighting. And with the skills she is gaining—it terrified she might break the warrior code.

Drizzleheart gently swam his tail across Sunpaw's red fur. "But NoonClan is one. We do not fight, we protect whom we love."

"What is the difference? We still sheathe our claws and show our teeth."

"It's hard to understand at first. My mentor told me what I am telling you. We sheathe our claws to protect whom we love. We have never fought."

"But I heard the clans fight from generations through generations." Sunpaw said.

"Wisdom is hard to gain right?" Drizzleheart purred. "I never understood my mentor's words until I felt it."

The red she cat twitched her tail. To fight. Or to protect. But both sheathe claws and bare cats' teeth. I wonder if I will understand Drizzleheart's words one day.

"Thanks. I wish I can be a warrior like you when I finish my training." The apprentice purred and left her spot. The tom purred back good night and padded to the warrior's den.

Sunpaw swooshed her tail and headed to her den. She lowered her head and tip toed into the apprentice's den and met few of her new den mates. Only the sleepy head Flakepaw was sleeping her snores soft as a new born kit. She murmured something gentle in her sleep which was cute for a older cat like Sunpaw.

"Get your killer stench out of here." Antpaw snapped while shaping his nest.

"I wouldn't be able to sleep with blood stench wafting around!" Rushpaw added rudely.

"Everyone has a blood stench since all NoonClan warriors are skilled to hunt healthy prey with healthy blood." Sunpaw replied calmly and wisely. Antpaw and Rushpaw groaned and curled up in their nest.

Crystalpaw was the last to come in as she greeted the red she cat. "Will you like to sleep together? Tonight will be cold and it could be any day to snow now."

It was nice to have another cat who seem at ease to talk to her. Some cats avoided her, but she was warned by Yellowstar that it would be hard to gain everycats' trust. But unlike the Army, she has freedom and companions.

"I would be happy to." Sunpaw purred as she nudged her nest next to Crystalpaw's. Crystalpaw smells like plants, herbs to say exact. Her nestmate is a medicine cat apprentice, training to become an healer and prophecy teller. At such a young age, this she cat has much responsibility more than any apprentice here. Her job is to heal, and Sunpaw sees that many senior warriors respect her. And this medicine cat apprentice's kindness to trust Sunpaw affects other NoonClan warriors to give the newcomer a chance.

"Your fur is so fluffy." Crystalpaw dug her fur deep into the red fluff.

"And you smell like honey today."

"Really? I went out and collected honeycombs so maybe that's why. I hope I just smell like honey and not have them on my fur. Yuck."

They both let out a murrow of laughter. Sunpaw felt her fur have a prickle or cold num hate that made her turn. She saw Antpaw glaring across the den.

"'Night Sunpaw. I'm getting sleepy. And tomorrow is the half moon." The medicine cat yawned and drifted to sleep. The red she cat always find the Moonsea strange. A place that only StarClan exchange words with the live—Sunpaw wished to go there someday. And apologize to Twilightspeckle what a selfish things she has done by anger.

Sleep had sunk over to the tired apprentice, as her thoughts closed, and mind rested on the moss fur.

Eek! Sorry for the late update. Since the story got pretty long now, who is your favorite Stars of Blood character?